Aqueon heaters VS Aqueon Pro

This is a discussion on Aqueon heaters VS Aqueon Pro within the Beginner Freshwater Aquarium forums, part of the Freshwater Fish and Aquariums category; -->
Hi - I have a 200W Aqueon heater in my 55. When it gets colder (the room gets down to 60F sometimes in winter) ...

Hi - I have a 200W Aqueon heater in my 55. When it gets colder (the room gets down to 60F sometimes in winter) I knew I'd need another heater for the opposite side of the tank. Well, I got one at Petco the other day. They had both the Aqueon and the Aqueon Pros. Well, the 200W Pros were $40! Eight dollars more than the Aqueon, so I got the Aqueon. What exactly is the difference between the two? Is it just the green and red indicator lights? If so, I can live without the Pro. I also read somewhere that the Aqueon Pros don't have to be unplugged before a water change, whereas the Aqueons do. Are these the only differences? Thanks!

I think the large difference is the durability. I have the Aqueon Pro in my 55 gal goldfish tank for just that reason. I don't want my heater to break if they accidentally knock it to the ground. I'm not sure, but the Pro might be fully submersible whereas the regular is not.

Yes, the regular Aqueon is fully submersible. That's the only knid I would own. I don't want to have to be sure I have the water level at an exact level all the time. I'm not worried about my fish knocking it down, as I have no large and/or strong fish that would be capable of it. Just looked at the box it came in. According to it, the regular Aqueon is shatter resistant glass. The unit does switch itself off automatically if the heater isn't properly submersed, to avoid overheating and damage. It can also be placed vertically OR horizontally. So I guess the regular Aqueon isn't so bad after all. Thanks all!

Forgive the hijack, but why do you have a heater in your goldfish tank?

As long as the OP doesn't mind it, I don't mind explaining. The GI tract of fancy goldfish is morphed due to their man-made body shape and functions best at temperatures above 70F. Below that, they are prone to bloat and constipation. I heat my goldfish tank to 73F in the winter because we keep our house very cold, and the water temp would fall to around 66F if I didn't. Keep in mind this is only for fancy goldfish such as fantails, ryukin, and ranchu.

How did they manage in pre-heater Japan in outdoor pools?
Goldfish quit eating at about 55F and seriously chill out below that.
I have comets and shubunkins, no fancy ones. I see them under the ice sort of hovering about, saying, "Oh wow, man."

I don't mind at all--and I learned something! I never knew goldfish shouldn't be kept below 70.

My tank was 73 this morning! It was 63 in the house. I knew I should have put the second heater in yesterday! Felt sorry for the fish. Both 200W heaters are in the tank now, at opposite ends. I'm keeping an eagle's eye on the temperature. I set both heaters at 78. Both lights go on and off intermittently, and the thermometer says 78 now! Now...we'll see what happens overnight. I'm going to stay up late to make sure the tank doesn't overheat or something. I'll let you guys know how it works.

How did they manage in pre-heater Japan in outdoor pools?
Goldfish quit eating at about 55F and seriously chill out below that.
I have comets and shubunkins, no fancy ones. I see them under the ice sort of hovering about, saying, "Oh wow, man."

Simply put those fancy goldfish aren't the same as the ones we have now. Not many photographs exist, but the ones that do will show a ryukin or a ranchu much different from the ones we see today even as pet store goldfish. When breeders realized they could keep goldfish in indoor heated tanks, they began selecting for more and more extremes, extremes that would have been naturally culled in a pond, and thus the modern fancy goldfish was born: one that needs heat to properly thrive.

There are still some people that propagate these old-style fancies in ponds, tho. Some have even made it into the show circuit. Ranchu are the best example as there are two different standards: one for ranchu grown and living in ponds and the other for tank-raised ranchu. The top view ranchu (the one in ponds) has a longer, less curved body while the side-view ranchu is a very rounded fish and would not survive the winter in a pond. Didn't think you were in for a lesson on the history of goldfish, eh? Pretty neat little fish!

I have koi, but have been lucky enough to never have my pond freeze in the winter, but I think it's mostly due to keeping our pump going all winter long. It's also prevented any fish kills.

That is so cool, learning about how goldfish, through breeding, have changed over the years. I had black moors that I kept OUTSIDE (albeit this is S. California) in a big bowl when I was a kid, and they lived at least a year or two. It gets as cold as 40 at night sometimes in the area I had them. So I guess that's why they didn't last longer. Nothing, IMO, is cuter than a black moor!

The tank was right at 78 this morning. And staying there. Yay! Two heaters was the perfect solution. I don't have to worry about the heater being cranked all the way up anymore, and still not doing an adequate job. What a relief. It was worth the $32 just for the peace of mind.